Teen gets 10-to-20 for jewelry store heist

As 17-year-old, he was part of the robbery at Barlows of Easton

October 05, 2002|By Tyra Braden Of The Morning Call

The youngest of the Barlows jewelry store robbers  and the only one not prosecuted in federal court  will spend up to 20 years in state prison.

Oh, my god, gasped Nesking Morancy of Brooklyn on Friday, as Northampton County Judge Jack A. Panella imposed the maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years. Oh, my god. He rocked gently side to side, repeating the phrase five more times.

Morancy, 19, was 17 on Nov. 4, 2000, when he and two other men went into Barlows Fine Jewelers, Second and Northampton streets, Easton. Morancy was not involved in a second robbery at the store nine days later.

Morancy is the 12th person involved in one or both of the robberies to be sentenced. The others were adults at the time of the holdups. Assistant District Attorney Jay W. Jenkins said federal authorities didnt want to deal with Morancy because he was a boy at the time. He was charged locally as an adult because he was holding a pellet gun.

Your honor, I just wanna say Im sorry to the people of Barlows and the whole state of Pennsylvania, Morancy said. He said he was willing to face his punishment, and I hope to God I will use it wisely. Ill try to come out a better man.

The older robbers, he said, used me. Whether or not you believe me, they was very influential. Morancy said he knew the others because he associated with them in Brooklyn. He described them as the head honchos of the neighborhood.

The conspirators, he said, assured him we could get out of there swift and smooth. In my mind, in my world, it sounded exciting. But things didnt go so well. When the lone customer in the store bolted for the door, Morancy said, I got panicky and he, too, ran out.

You high-tailed it out of there, Panella said. Yes, Morancy said. Panella asked why the group targeted an Easton business. Morancy said the city is well known and often frequented by a lot of people from New York. Why? Panella asked.

Defense attorney Gilbert Negrete said after the hearing hell ask Panella to reconsider the sentence. He told Panella the older robbers took advantage of Morancy. Assistant District Attorney Jay W. Jenkins asked for a harsh sentence because the crime was serious.

Panella sided with Jenkins. I think more than any piece of fiction, this case creates a horror story, Panella said. If you tried to put yourself in the shoes of the victims the thoughts that must have been going through their heads at that time.

Even though at 17 Morancy didnt have the maturity to make a good decision, he deserved a long prison term, Panella said.

Who gave him the right to steal from these people the security they had and their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Panella asked. Basically, what he attempted to do was to destroy the American way of life.